The Journey to Marriage
by Megumi Sagara
Summary: [AU] He wasn't interested in marriage or a relationship and she wanted to marry for love. However, their families had already decided that the second son of a powerful clan in the business world was the perfect match for the heiress of a prestigious hospital.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! Though this is not my first time writing for the Naruto fandom, it's the first one I post something outside my Tumblr. This summer, I decided to participate in the SasuSaku Month organised there and though my first idea was to write a series of unrelated one-shots, my inspiration had very different plans and turned half of the prompts into a multi-chaptered story. This is the revised version and since it's already written, updates will be every two weeks (on Sunday), so I have time to edit every chapter thoroughly (I have a quite busy working schedule). I hope that you like it ^^

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 **Disclaimer:** Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi, I only take them to play with them in my imagination.

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Day 1: #First Love

 **CHAPTER 1: PROSPECTIVE PARTNERS (SASUKE)**

Tired after a long day of meetings, Uchiha Sasuke, President of the Uchiha Corporation threw his briefcase onto the enormous desk of his office and sighed, pulling at his tie while plopping down unceremoniously on his chair. He closed his lids and pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing. His head was throbbing uncomfortably, prelude of a massive headache.

"Gosh, why had all those old men had to waste two hours on arguing about that small detail on the contract? We could be home already..." Naruto, Manager of the Human Resources Department of his company, grumbled as he closed the door behind him. "And today I had planned to take Hinata-chan out for our anniversary..."

Sasuke opened an eye and looked at his friend, his black pupil lighting with concern.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have given you the day off..."

"And leave you on your own with those oldsters? You'd still be there, listening to their endless rantings. Anyway, I changed the reservation to tomorrow evening and I called her at lunchtime..."

"My family would be delighted if they heard you call them 'oldsters'" a small sarcastic smile appeared on Sasuke's lips. "Especially my father."

"Well," Naruto dropped himself onto the leather sofa across the room and crossed his ankles on top of the armrest. "I call them old geezers when I'm at home" he stretched with a grunt. "They're all over sixty, except for your dad and your brother, and they argue over the pettiest things-"

A knock on the door interrupted his rambling and he turned his head curiously to the door as Sasuke gave permission to enter to whoever was behind it. A very elegant lovely woman with long blonde hair tied in a high ponytail and blue eyes, dressed in a dark purple suit and a white blouse, went into the office and, after an amused glance on his way, walked straight to the desk from across which her boss was frowning at her.

"This is the mail that arrived during the afternoon" she said leaving a large amount of opened envelopes on the table in three neat stacks. "And this is the data for tomorrow morning's meeting that you asked for."

Sasuke sighed again before pushing himself into a straight posture.

"Thank you, Ino" he glanced behind her, to the door, puzzled at not seeing his personal assistant trailing after his secretary. "Where's Shikamaru?"

"He is on the phone. They called from Iwagakure Bank asking if the lunch meeting on Wednesday could be delayed. The President has some problems with his back and the doctor advised him to rest for at least five days because of his age."

He nodded, opening the binder Ino had given him and taking a look inside.

"That old man should retire" commented Naruto. "He had one of his attacks of sciatica during a meeting in the bank and he couldn't move for an hour."

Sasuke made a neutral sound, not bothering to look at them. Though Naruto was right, he liked the proud headstrong elder and enjoyed their meetings. The day Onoki retired, the business world would be a little bit duller.

"Oh" Ino exclaimed taking a thin envelope from under her arm and tending it to him with a knowing smile. "This is from your mother. Her secretary delivered it before they both left for Congressman Sarutobi charity party."

She tried to hide her amusement when Sasuke's face turned a few shades paler and one of his thin brows twitched, but Naruto's outburst of laughter made it impossible.

He lifted the binder a bit more towards his face and feigned a deep interest in the information that had suddenly turned blurry.

"How many omiai photos has your mum already sent you?" Naruto said gasping for air between guffaws. "She must be really desperate to marry you away."

"She's not 'marrying me away', idiot" he grumbled from behind the documents.

But he had to admit that it was becoming a bit of an obsession for his family to match him with an appropriate woman. He had never shown a special interest in the opposite sex but not for whatever weird reason they seemed to have in mind, for he had had a few relationships if he could call them that. However, they had not lasted, since he had his priorities very clear and girls were not among them, which lead to one of the two getting tired of the other. He had always been too busy with private classes and trying not to fall behind his brother's achievements, as he was not as brilliant as Itachi and had to make an extra effort to follow his lead without failing. Being part of an elite family and helping to manage an enterprise were not as easy as people thought. Even though he was not the heir, many sights were fixed on him, judging every decision, waiting for a wrong move, hoping for him and the Uchiha Corporation to fall from their power position to replace them. And he could not afford that.

He lifted his gaze to see that Ino's expression had turned into one of understanding.

"I'll leave it here" she said putting the brown envelope next to the laptop on his desk. "If you don't need anything else, President..." Sasuke shook his head and she bowed towards them, turning and going out of the office, closing the door again.

The room became silent for a few minutes, the only sound was the turning of the pages as Sasuke read and analysed the documents. Finally, with a sigh, Naruto stood up and walked to him.

"Look, sorry I laughed..." his friend did not react at the beginning, and he changed the weight of his body from one foot to the other. "It's just that... it looks ridiculous that your parents have to do this when you're one of the most sought bachelors in our social circle and, well, you can choose anyone whenever you want."

"The problem for the clan, more than for them, is that I'm not interested in choosing at the moment. I'm just twenty-four and I have too many things in my mind now to add one more to the pile. I don't need another annoying woman nagging at me for not having time to take her to expensive restaurants or luxury cruises. I had enough for a lifetime with the last two."

"Not all of them are like that..." Naruto furrowed his brow, crossing his arms across his chest, not really understanding his friend's reasoning.

"Not all of us are lucky enough to find someone like Hinata-san" Sasuke retorted finally leaving the binder on the table and looking at him in the eye.

"I'm not saying that..." he pouted in response. "Then, why don't you tell them to stop? Tell them what you've just said to me and probably they will leave you alone for a few months... or weeks..."

"I've already tried, to no avail. Itachi is already married and the elders have decided that now it's my turn. And since I'm not complying with their wishes, they're pressuring my mother too, so, I just please them making them believe that I read the personal information and considered every woman carefully and then, I invent something that makes her unsuitable for the Uchiha clan."

"You're not going to solve the problem like that."

"I know," he shrugged lightly. "But it works for now, so..."

"Still... well, aren't you curious?" Naruto said glancing at the envelope with a slow smirk drawing across his lips. "What if one of them is the woman of your dreams?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and, taking a pen from one of his drawers to make a note on something that had caught his attention, buried his nose once again in the papers.

"No, I'm not. And I doubt it" he glanced at his best friend briefly, reading in his features his impatience. "Open it if you want."

Naruto took the envelope eagerly and cut the string that closed it but just as he was lifting the cover of the small folder that contained the photos, he stopped himself. He could not do it. It was something meant for Sasuke and he had to be the one to open it. He put it on the papers and Sasuke glared at him.

"Do it quickly and you won't have to lie to them this time. Think of it as a good deed to redeem your soul of all those fibs."

He sighed exasperated and silently observed his friend, who had taken a stance that told him he was decided to get his way.

He eyed the thin white folder and after a few seconds, he lifted the lid with the pen cautiously, as if he expected a dangerous animal to throw itself at his throat.

A lovely young woman smiled at him from one of the photographs, a close-up. She had long pink hair tied in what seemed a sophisticated hairstyle and big bright green eyes that brought him a feeling of familiarity and warmth, waking something inside him, long forgotten.

In the second picture, a full-length one, she was clad in a black furisode embroidered with the crests of her family and different types of flowers and leaves, and a golden obi was tied around her waist.

"Haruno Sakura" Naruto had picked up her personal history and started reading out loud. "Wow, she's the only granddaughter of the current chairwoman of Haruno Private Hospital... And her father founded one of the most prestigious medical research laboratories of the country" he whistled as he scanned her personal details. "A proper high-class girl."

But Sasuke was not really interested in her date of birth or her blood type and blocked his friend's voice. His mind was too busy trying to solve the question nagging at the back of his mind. Where had he seen her before?

"Her hobbies are reading, doing exercise and karuta games, especially Ogura Hyakunin Isshu."

And suddenly, it dawned on him.

She reminded him of the little girl he had met in kindergarten after his father had been appointed as the new heir of the Corporation after the death of his older brother and the family had had to move to the main house. She had been like a ray of sunshine among the fast changes in his life. The sudden pressure of being watched and judged by the smallest thing had been too much for his five-year-old self, and his solely moments of happiness had been when sharing his games and lessons with her. It had lasted only a few months, since they went different ways after entering primary school, but for him, it had always been a fond memory. Itachi had laughed merrily when he had known, saying that she had been his first love.

"She's studying medicine at Todai..." Naruto lifted his head, furrowing his brows. "I think she might be too good for you..."

He leant back in his chair a bit, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his crossed fingers, taking on a thoughtful expression.

"Maybe..."

That forgotten memory had awoken his curiosity. He did not know if she was the same girl, he had forgotten her name long ago, and he was not one to trust in coincidences. But she seemed nice and intelligent, and it would not harm him to meet her at least once. On the contrary, that could bring some good things: peace of mind to his parents, a stop to the harassement about his marriage from the rest of the family, an end to Naruto's jokes and Ino's amused looks and some time off in his hectic routine of meetings, contracts, data and 'oldsters'. He smiled lightly, looking at the portrait again. He only hoped Haruno Sakura was worth the effort.

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GLOSSARY:

 _-karuta:_ Japanese card games. There are different types but probably some of you have heard of the most popular one of them: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred People, One Poem), a game in which 100 poems are written on two sets of cards. Someone reads the beginning and the players have to find the second part before anybody else does to complete a poem and recite it ( _Chihayafuru_ anyone?)


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again! As I promised, here's the second chapter ^^ Thank you for the response to the first one, especially to the people who left a comment, I'm glad that you found it interesting (and as I told you on Tumblr, Lav, you were none of those things :3). I hope you enjoy this one too :)

As a note, Inner Sakura will make her debut here, and her words will be in _italics_ and between '…'

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Day 2: Something More

 **CHAPTER 2: PROSPECTIVE PARTNERS (SAKURA)**

She would not be treated like an object.

Sakura punctuated each word echoing in her mind with a punch on the bag that hung from the ceiling of the room, imagining the face of some uptight middle-aged pervert in a suit.

She had been in a foul mood since that morning, when her grandmother had told her that there was a potential candidate to be her husband, a second son from an extremely prestigious family. She gritted her teeth and landed a kick on the bag, making it swing violently. Second sons were a pain. Hidden by the shadow of the heir of the family, they were thirsty for recognition but not willing to work hard for it since nobody gave them credit when they did. It was their obligation, all for the heir's sake, people around them said. She had met a few, most of them men in their thirties, and even forties, used to live comfortably, ready to marry into a heiress' family and be a nobody if they could keep on doing it.

After the news and a short argument interrupted by her grandmother's secretary announcing the time for her to attend a meeting at the family hospital, Sakura had locked herself in the training room behind the Haruno main house, where she lived, and had been throwing punches at the imaginary man in question for almost an hour.

With her hands on her waist, she turned, panting, and after a few seconds trying to regain her breath, she pulled at the lace of one of her boxing gloves with her teeth and took it off. She grabbed the towel set on a nearby wooden bench, wiping the sweat from her face, and then, the water bottle next to it, taking a big sip.

It was not that Sakura was against marriage. In fact, it had been one of her dreams since she had been a little girl. But she had also fantasised about falling in love, sweet moments and butterflies in her stomach, like in the stories she had been told before falling asleep.

Soon, she had learnt that, in her world, she could not sit down waiting for a good man like an Edo Period lady and that she had to polish herself to be better than the other 'princesses'. She had done everything they had told her to. She had studied hard, kept fit and taken lessons on good manners, tea ceremony and flower arrangement. Also, she had successfully managed to show a collected attitude, masking her true feelings and opinions, and voicing them inward. She could be listening and discussing politely about a topic with someone at a gathering while dying to shove her shoe in their mouth so they would shut up, and none of them would notice.

Her efforts had been rewarding and, as she progressed in her academic life brilliantly, she had gone out with two or three men that her family would approve without any doubt, but it had taken her nowhere. She was too intelligent, too strong. Elite men did not want that, they preferred a nice delicate girl who said yes to everything and boasted their ego, a pretty trophy wife. Sakura looked at her image in the mirror on the wall in front of her. She had never considered herself a beauty, her forehead was too wide and her body had built muscle from the contact sports she did. And, she lowered her sight to her chest, she preferred not to think about the size of her bust. Of course, she knew she had her good points too. She had a beautiful posture, a bright smile and big eyes of an uncommon shade of green. But those were not enough for them.

So, she had focused all her efforts on her degree and her future as the successful head of her family hospital and laboratories. There would be time for finding someone to share it with after that. And suddenly, a few weeks before, people around her had started talking about omiai and promising candidates, and she had felt the urge to express her strong opposition to the idea. To no avail, it seemed.

Furrowing her brows and gritting her teeth, she threw the towel on the bench, left the bottle of water next to it and put on her glove again, bumping her fists and turning to the punching bag again.

Hell could freeze but in no way was she going to marry someone she did not know, someone she did not love.

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Two hours and a half later, Sakura came out of her private bathroom after taking a long bath. She felt calmer now but she knew that the issue would be the topic of the family conversations for a few days. She rolled her eyes, annoyed at the idea, as she stopped before her window and looked outside. Some leaves were starting to change colours in the maple trees at the back of the garden, a sign that autumn had finally arrived after a hot summer, and the gardener was busy pulling out the seasonal plants that were starting to wither. She sighed. Maybe she should give in and meet the man once, then refuse him flatly making up a reason. That way, they would try to find another one and leave her alone for a few weeks. And then, she could repeat the process.

There was a knock on her door and she turned from the window, giving her permission. An old woman wearing a cream coloured kimono and a dark blue obi with a single chrysantemum flower embroidered on the knot entered the room and closed the door behind her as Sakura bowed lightly.

Her grandmother Chiyo was a nice but traditional woman who knew when to be strict and when to be warm. And seeing her face, she realised that this time she had to be ready for the first.

"Good afternoon, grandmother" she smiled trying to keep a neutral attitude.

The woman smiled and took a seat on one of the armchairs in the middle of the room, motioning her granddaughter to do the same. She left something she carried on her hand on the table, something small, flat and white. A folder. Sakura felt a knot in her stomach but breathed deeply and sat on the sofa the older woman had pointed to, trying not to look at it. They stayed in silence for a few seconds and when Sakura grew impatient and was going to ask the reason of it, a maid entered carrying a tea set. She left it on the table and with a deep bow, she disappeared again behind the door.

When her grandmother did not make any move to serve the drink, Sakura took the teapot and prepared a cup for each of them, with a slice of lemon for the elder, with cream and sugar for herself. As she brought the cup to her lips, her grandmother decided to speak.

"I've heard that you've locked yourself in your training room for almost three hours..."

Straight to the point, as expected.

"Yes."

"I think you had enough time to get used to the idea, Sakura. It's been a few weeks since the topic arose."

"I made my thoughts clear on the point, and I believed that you understood my wishes."

'Breathe. Behave.'

"You're already twenty-three, and you haven't had a special relationship in the last two years. So, it was just a matter of logic that we took the matter in our hands."

 _'Ha! "Already twenty-three", as if I was an old spinster!'_

She remained silent, drinking some tea.

 _'_ Breathe.'

"I think nobody considers me old at that age" she replied after a soft intake of air.

"Yes, that's true, but you're not getting any younger, the years will keep on passing by and you're too focused on your goals. And I'm not criticising you, quite the opposite. I like to see that you're becoming a strong woman, like the ones before you."

 _'How strange!'_ her ironic side spoke again in her mind. _'Grandma is praising herself...'_

"But you needed a little push in that department. So, that's why I decided it was time to search for the perfect partner for you."

Sakura sighed, leaving the cup on the table and folding her hands on her lap.

"I'll be frank with you, grandmother" the older woman looked at her directly. "I don't think it's the right time. I still have some years left to finish my degree and my specialization" she replied in a very determined voice. "I'd like to, at least, finish my two year trainee program before considering marriage seriously. I don't think I'll be able to handle the social responsibilities that come with tying myself to a household like the one you described this morning at the same time."

"You will be able to do both things without any trouble" the older woman said, equally solemn. "Your prospective husband's family isn't against you finishing your studies, since they know they're essential for you to manage the hospital and the research laboratory when your time comes. It's one of the conditions I imposed when we spoke. So they will help you by planning your schedule according to your practicum and exams."

 _'Oh, they don't oppose...'_ she thought sarcastically, clenching her teeth. _'Let's thank the gods for their consideration...'_

"But" she tried to argue in the same paused tone she had used before. "I'm sure neither he nor his family would mind waiting a bit. He is a second son, right? So he must be learning the necessary habilities to help the family and the heir..."

"Sakura" Chiyo's voice had become a bit stern now. "Do you think that you're the only candidate they're considering? You're really mistaken if you think that a man like that wouldn't get the attention of quite a few women. He may be a 'second son' as you remarked, but he's an excelent catch and won't be available forever."

 _'Nice. At least I'm not the only one treated like goods in a market... I was starting to feel special.'_

"It's a great opportunity, maybe the best one you'll ever have. And you should take that into account."

The young woman shifted uncomfortably. She was not used to talk about her most intimate thoughts and dreams with anybody. Still, if that helped her...

"But..." her cheeks became slightly pink and she lowered her gaze. "I would want to love the person I marry... You... and father..."

Her grandmother sighed a bit exasperated

"Your grandfather and I weren't in love when we got married. That came later" she took a sip from her cup. "Listen, Sakura. I understand that women nowadays are different from the ones in my generation, that they want to enjoy life, have a career and fall in love. But society still thinks that there's something wrong with a woman who isn't married or about to be when she turns twenty-five. Even though a bit dreamy, you've always been a level-headed girl. And you also know that your condition as a heiress makes you different from the rest of women. You have the duty, not only of preserving our legacy, but of continuing the bloodline and pass it to them. People like us can't indulge in fantasies about an ideal life. This man" she said putting her fingertips on the white folder and sliding it across the table to her, "knows it too."

She stood up and looked straight at her granddaughter.

"Consider this matter carefully, it's the best thing for you."

She did not answer, she only nodded lightly in acknowledgement, without lifting her head till she heard the door close softly.

Inmediately, she lifted herself from her seat and started pacing the room with fast steps.

Oh, how she desired to be in the training room again to let out all the frustration she was feeling at the moment. It had been like talking to a wall. With a scream, she punched the sofa, knocking it over with a loud noise. She breathed deeply and put her hands on her hips. At least, she felt a bit better. She turned her head, glaring at the offending rectangle of cardboard that contained his photos.

 _'The best thing, my ass! I don't want to do it!'_

She took the folder and threw it against the wall with a cry of anger. It made a soft sound against it before falling open on the floor.

She walked to it and picked it up. If she could, she would burn it, but then her grandmother would probably scold her long and hard. And she knew she could not stand it. Unintentionally, her eyes fell on the photograph.

Ink-black irises stared back at her and she paused in her inner ramblings about deaf grandmothers and cursed prospective husbands to take a good look at him.

The first thing her mind registered was that he was unexpectedly young. And that he looked vaguely familiar, as she observed his posture, his lean but clearly athletic body clad in an elegant dark tailored suit and his serious expression. He looked as enthusiastic about the idea of getting married as she, and that thawed her feelings a tiny bit.

She had to admit that he was really handsome, like an actor, but not in a manly way. His features, though sharp, were soft, slightly feminine. His short spiky hair was parted on the right and some strands fell lightly on his left eye offering a casual detail in the solemn atmosphere of the image.

Well, he seemed a bit uptight, but at least he was not a middle-aged pervert in a suit.

"Uchiha Sasuke" the name escaped her lips in a whisper as she read it on his resume.

Sakura tapped her cheek thoughtfully as she observed him once more. Maybe it would not be such a horrible experience to meet him once. He gave the impression of being a well-educated man, not only because of the list of academic centres he had attended; she could also see it in his eyes. And she never refused the chance of having an intelligent conversation. Also, as her mother said, it was always a good thing to have acquaintances everywhere. Who knew when they could lend you a hand...

However, as she put the photo on the table again and made a slight gesture with the hand, apologising to him for her earlier behaviour, a question kept on repeating in her mind.

Where had she seen him before?

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GLOSSARY:

 _-omiai:_ traditional custom in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage. There is a whole ritual behind it.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi! Here's the third chapter, and what some people who left comments were waiting for ^^ Thank you for telling me your impressions and also, for the following/favourites. I'm really happy that you like my story. I hope that you enjoy this one as well :)

Bur first, a word regarding Sakura. Though it must seem that she is a bit OOC in here (and maybe in the one before this), it is intentional. I wanted to make her like at the beginning of the manga, when Sakura is demure and charming in front of Sasuke to get his attention while her true feelings are voiced in her mind. Later on, as they get to know each other, you will see that she becomes more relaxed and open with her feelings when they're together. Unfortunately, Sasuke will continue using a more polite language and being reserved a bit longer, since he's got no reason to be rude or angry with the world here ^^U

Regarding her parents, I'm a fan of the manga, I haven't seen but a few episodes of the anime and just recently I learnt that they appear in one of the movies. You can imagine them as in there if you want, however, since they were never shown in the manga, I have my mental image of them there, so that's why either their names or their description will never appear in this story. I hope it doesn't bother you.

Also, I've added a small glossary because this time I use a few Japanese words. Maybe you know them, so feel free to skip it :)

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 **Glossary:**

 _omiai:_ traditional custom in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage. There is a whole ritual behind it.

 _ryoukan:_ a type of traditional Japanese inn usually providing meals as part of the stay.

 _tokonoma:_ a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed.

*The following three are part of swordmanship but different from each other:

 _kenjutsu:_ the specific aspect of partnered sword training

 _battoujutsu:_ the aspect focused upon the efficient draw of the sword, cutting down one's enemy, and returning the sword to its scabbard.

 _iaijutsu:_ also the Japanese art of drawing the sword. It tends to be technically more complex and focuses on perfecting form.

 _jujutsu:_ the art of using indirect force as opposed to direct force. The art's aim is the ability to use an attacker's force against him or her, and counter-attack where they are weakest or least defended.

 _tsuru:_ crane.

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Remember that Inner Sakura will be in _italics_ and between '...'

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Day 3: Chemistry

 **CHAPTER 3: OMIAI**

The private room of the luxury ryoukan they had booked for the meeting was a Japanese style chamber exquisitely decorated with a low mahogany table, silk cushions and a beautiful scroll displaying a work of calligraphy on the tokonoma. The sunshine entered throught the slightly opened sliding door at the back, which overlooked an elegant garden. The rhythmic sound of a bamboo fountain and the occasional murmur of the trees in the afternoon breeze gave the place a very relaxed atmosphere.

Exactly what she needed to remain calm.

Since morning Sakura had been so nervous that she had started to regret having agreed to the omiai. It not only meant meeting an unknown man with the prospect of marriage, but also that each of her words and gestures would be scrutinised. A mistake in front of others and the reputation of the Haruno family could be torn to pieces. She had heard how a rumour had been the downfall of people in that world of theirs, and just for that reason she would have to behave like the lovely polite girl she had been brought up as. Even if deep inside she was dying to break something or to punch the prospective candidate in the face, however handsome he was. To run away as far as she could.

She squeezed her hands tighter on her handbag and squared her shoulders a bit more as she gracefully lowered herself on the cushion prepared for her beside her parents. As if her mother sensed her mood, she patted reasuringly the back of one of her hands with hers and, when she turned to her, she found his father smiling gently at her too.

"Everything will be fine" he whispered softly. "I'll deal with your grandmother if you don't want to see this boy, or another one, again."

A small affectionate smile graced her lips at those words, even though it had not been the first time she had heard similar ones from him. Her parents had tried to free her from the omiai but her grandmother had been faster than them and had already confirmed the appointment with the go-between and this with the head of the other family so it had been impossible to cancel it. It had been then when her father had promised her it would not happen a second time.

They had just regained their composure when they heard steps on the corridor, and Sakura felt herself tense again so she breathed deeply, putting on her mask of property and serenity. The sliding door decorated with mountains and a river opened with a soft sound and the other party entered the room accompanied by the go-between, an old friend of her grandmother.

Her eyes immediately fell on the young man who went in last. She had to admit that the real one was much better than the photo's. Though she already had an idea, she was surprised to see he was even taller than she thought. He was dressed in a dark blue suit, a white shirt and a red and white thin-stripped tie. He displayed a natural elegance as he lowered himself on the cushion across from her and everybody nodded formally.

 _'Marry him! Don't be stupid and marry him! Imagine waking up to that looker every morning! It mus-'_

Lowering a bit her eyelids and noticing a faint blush warm her cheeks, she shut her loud inner voice to be able to focus on the meeting. There was too much on the line to let a moment of enthusiastic admiration ruin everything.

Right then, their eyes met and she thought she saw a spark of curiosity in his black pupils, probably in answer to the one that she was sure was in hers.

The ryokan's owner entered at that moment followed by a waitress and after some customary and warm words of greeting to such important guests, she performed a ceremony to prepare the tea, that was then served with the utmost care.

After a few more words of courtesy and a bow, they retired, and as her grandmother's friend started to introduce them to each other, she side-glanced at him once again. Now she could see why his features seemed a bit femenine; he took after his mother. Uchiha Fugaku had hard sharp features, smaller eyes and his skin was a bit darker than his wife and son's. So, at least in one aspect he was a mama's boy. She tried to to hide the small smile that drew across her lips as it was her turn to bow. She would have to see if he was that in other ways as well.

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Her eyes were much more lively than in the photo.

That was the first thing Sasuke thought as he saw them show, one after the other, all her feelings: curiosity, worry, thoughtfulness, amusement... At the beginning, they had turned a shadow darker, like emeralds, when he had sat down opposite her and he had felt the need to roll his eyes, too used to similar reactions from the women he had met in the past. But as the minutes had passed by, that boredom had been replaced by a growing interest as he discreetely watched her and tried to decipher very small gestures and details that she had probably not realised she made. She was wearing a cream coloured flowing skirt with small flowers in different shades of pink, a white lace blouse and an elegant dark pink crochet bolero with a ribbon around the waist and a small bow at the front instead of a button, light clothes that made evident a muscular physique that the kimono had concealed. However, her slightly broad back and her strong arms did not make her less feminine. Her long hair was tied in an intrincate braid which fell across her right shoulder, giving her a sweet demeanour.

After the introductions, their parents started a light conversation about their respective areas of expertise, some social events that they would attend and people they discovered were mutual acquaintances with. They only answered with short replies to the occasional question directed at them or nodded in acquiescence when being referred to. All was going according to an omiai meeting.

"We now should let the young man and lady on their own, don't you think?" the go-between said a few minutes later, as they were finishing enjoying their tea. "The garden is a beautiful place to have a walk in such a nice afternoon..."

They took their cue to stand up and, bowing lightly, went to the door, opening it completely. A light warm breeze passed by the room, bringing in the smells and sounds of the garden. They saw that their shoes, which they had left at the entrance of the building, had been carefully set for them on the steps that led from the porch to a gravel yard with rocks, plants and a bamboo fountain near the back, where there was a small group of water plants and Japanese iris. There was a path of perfectly rounded stones to walk to every corner of the spacious enclosure.

They made their way along it slowly, admiring the design quietly. Here and there, a small sparrow hopped near them searching for food. After a few moments, Sakura started to feel uneasy. He was supposed to be the one who spoke first but it seemed that he was not going to bother.

 _'Damn traditions...'_

She stole a glance at him. He had his hands in the pockets of his trousers and was looking upwards at the sky. He gave the impression of being at ease there, without saying a word, but unfortunately, that was not how an omiai worked.

She remembered the omiai photo and her first thoughts upon seeing his disinterested eyes, but since they were going through it anyway, at least, he could make an effort...

They took a few steps further, still in silence, and it was then that she decided it was time to break the rules. She would take the initiative.

"So, uhm" he lowered his head to her but did not say anything, so she continued. "what do you do in your free time, Sasuke-san?"

An almost imperceptible crease appeared between his eyebrows. He did not mind that she had started the conversation but for an unknown reason, he did not like the formal suffix attached to his name. It sounded... business-like and distant, and that had bothered him. Leaving that fleeting thought aside swiftly, as he was opening his mouth to answer, a voice brought from the deep recesses of his mind called him.

'Sasuke-kun!'

The little girl from his kindergarten memories was smiling at him as they played in the sandbox, and he frowned, closing his eyes briefly, to shake the nostalgic feeling that she had brought with her.

"Free time, eh?" he replied trying to pretend that that ephemeral moment had not happened when he saw a glint of concern in her eyes. "Not that I have much of that, but I like doing sport, reading and going to events related to art or history."

He seemed fine after that split second when it had felt that he had gone very far away from the ryoukan garden, so she relaxed a bit and smiled politely. She had already known the answer from his personal information but she had needed somewhere to start, and it seemed that she had chosen wisely.

"And what sports do you do?"

He shrugged.

"Mainly swordmanship, I'm an expert in kenjutsu, battoujutsu and iaijutsu. Also, I do some martial arts, like jujutsu" a small cinical smile drew across his lips. "People like us have to know how to defend ourselves."

 _'And that is why he has such wonderful anatomy'_ Sakura pressed her lips in a thin line as a sudden blush reddened her cheeks, hearing her inner self. _'Hey, I was talking from a doctor's point of view. I'm not a pervert...'_

No, of course she was not.

Silence fell between them once more and she tried again after a few moments, when she noticed her face was not hot anymore.

"Do you live alone, or in the main house?"

"I have a flat in Shinjuku, relatively near the company, but some weekends and in the holidays I return to the main house."

There was a pause and Sakura strived to fill it.

"I live in the main house, but I'd like to have a place near the university. It's a bit inconvinient to come and go everyday."

He made a sound of acknowledgement and she turned her head to the other side, sighing a bit exasperated.

This was ridiculous, at least he could make an attempt so she could stop feeling like she was talking to a wall. And to think that she had come with the prospect of having a good conversation...

How disappointing...

 _'How boring!'_

"I'm sorry" his voice broke the silence. "I'm not good at conversations."

She looked puzzled for a moment.

"But, you're the President of-"

"Casual conversations with strangers, I mean."

 _'Ouch'_

Yes, she agreed, that had hurt a bit. It had been too straight-forward, there were softer ways to imply that he preferred to be anywhere but there with her. She was feeling the same but she was not saying it to his face.

"Well, it's true that this is a very uncomfortable situation for us..." then, she turned to him and laced her hands behind her, around the handle of her small bag. "But at least, we can try. Our families are expecting a lot from us, and we should reward their efforts, regardless the result."

He stared at her for a few seconds before making a gesture of surrender, his features softening a little.

"You're right."

She nodded with a smile and started her way to a stone bench on the side that overlooked the garden, just under a gnarled pine tree.

"Do you know what medical speciality will you study?"

Her smile became wider and he instantly sensed he had asked the correct question. Even the atmosphere between them appeared to change a bit.

"I'm not sure yet, but I have two or three that I like: surgery, research... mental health is another field I'm interested in."

She sat down on the bench and looked up. He was staring at her again with that curious spark in his pupils, as if he was intrigued by something.

Suddenly, she felt self-concious. Had she done something wrong? Was there something weird in her appearance? Was her lipstick smugged?

"Is there something in my face?" she asked a bit embarrased, lifting a hand to her cheek.

"No..." he did not show any sign of discomfort at being caught peering at her. "Excuse me for the strange question but I was wondering, have we met before?"

 _'Really? A pick-up line? Come on, you were doing so well before!'_

Sakura's outer reaction was just lifting a delicate eyebrow, and Sasuke cleared his throat, feeling a bit uneasy.

"When I saw your photo, my first impression was that I had seen you before, not recently but a long time ago..."

This time, his words had an unexpected effect.

"You too?" she had opened her eyes, surprised. "I got that feeling too, but in the end I wasn't able to remember where... Maybe in a gathering or the birthday party of a common friend?"

"I... don't think so..." he frowned a bit in concentration. "But we can see if we have any."

They named a few people, prestigious doctors, businessmen and women, and politicians, but none of them matched with their acquaintances.

She made a sound of disappointment.

"And before? Any music competition" he tried again.

"Do you play any instruments?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side, sounding interested.

"My older brother plays the violin and the viola, so I received lessons too, but my favourite is the flute."

"I play the piano, and my grandmother insisted on me taking shamisen and koto lessons too... 'We have to maintain the traditions' she said" Sakura laughed a bit after imitating her grandmother's voice, but immediately caught herself and looked sideways at Sasuke, totally flustered.

He had a puzzled look in his face.

 _'Great, girl... Now you've done it...'_ her inner voice sounded much more sarcastic than ever. _'We agreed you'd do those things only in private, with only the two of us...'_

"Um," she said out loud, trying to continue the conversation to amend herself . "I didn't participate in any concours, though I went to a few I was invited to. I suppose you did?"

He nodded but did not elaborate and, though she was curious, she thought it was not correct to pry. Then, they became silent once again.

There was only one more option, the one he had refused to acknowledge because he did not believe in mere coincidences, and if it was fate, in his opinion it had a really weird sense of humor.

"And schools?" he asked quietly. "I mean, I know the ones you attended to by your personal history, but... did you go to kindergarten?"

"Um, yes," the conversation was turning a bit strange, and she was disconcerted. "I went to KM International Pre-School."

She saw his eyes widen a bit and instantaneously, his whole appearance seemed more relaxed, as if he had released a weight he had been carrying on his shoulders.

"I went there too, but in my last year only."

"Really?" she opened her eyes, surprised, but immediately, a huge smile lit her features, one completely different from the polite ones she had showed him during the meeting, or the one in the photo. "Which class were you in?"

"In Class 3-3, the Tsuru Class I think it was called..."

"Yes! Me too!" she beamed, and then, she became pensive, tapping her index finger against her chin; suddenly, her eyes glistened with recognition and incredulity. "You're... Sasuke-kun?"

Suddenly, his heart missed a beat. It was almost the same, the name with an attached suffix, but just that small change had brought an unexpected warmth to his chest. He allowed himself a little smile of content.

She clapped her hands with pleasure while stretching her legs and high heel-clad feet, like a little girl.

"What a fantastic coincidence..."

He nodded.

"And now, we're partners in an omiai... How amusing!"

'Yes' he thought dejected. 'Itachi is going to be so delighted when he knows... Gods, I won't hear the end of it...'

"I have very happy memories of that time" she looked at him with a bit shy expression.

"So have I."

'You can't imagine what those days meant to me...'

She straightened her posture, her eyes gleamed like precious stones and her cheeks became pink with excitement.

"I recall that you were one of Kakashi-sensei's favourites" he made a dismissing gesture and she had to bit her lip to avoid showing her mirth. "The poor man always had colds and had to wear a mask on his face everyday."

"And most of the time, he was late."

"True." she said with a laugh. "And remember when Kiba-kun brought a puppy to class? It caused quite a ruckus and Iruka-sensei was mad at the beginning but later, he took care of it while Kiba-kun was convincing his mother to adopt it."

Sasuke nodded and breathed, experiencing a soothing calm as she started to tell another story. It was a similar feeling to that time's, warm and comfortable, and he discovered himself starting to wish that it would never disappear, because outside, life was hectic and routine...

A small cough sounded behind them, interrupting her tale, and when they turned, the ryoukan's owner smiled politely to them from a few meters away.

"I hope you excuse me for interrupting your conversation, Sasuke-sama, Sakura-sama, but your parents are waiting for you in the hall..."

Sakura nodded and stood up, looking at him with clear disappointment in her eyes. He returned it with half closed eyes, feeling the same, regretting not asking her before instead of shielding himself in his silence and incredulity.

And now, the boy and the girl from their happy memories would be buried again under their busy lives and responsibilities, under the weight of an omiai. For them, time was up.

.

The goodbye pleasantries were brief and both families went into their cars, taking different routes at the gate of the ryoukan.

By the look in her parents' faces, Sasuke could say that they were happy with the meeting. Her mother, an arts lover, was excited as she told them about the invitation she had received to an informal gathering with some promising young traditional artists that the Haruno household acted as patron to. He smiled satisfied. Just for seeing her happy, it had been worth it. He threw a quick glance towards his father. Though stern, as always, he looked pleased as he listened to his wife.

Good.

Then, Mikoto turned to him.

"I'm really glad you decided to take this opportunity, Sasuke. She's such a fine young lady..."

'She's much more than that', he thought as he put his elbow on the edge of the window.

Some of the warmth he had felt upon discovering she was the girl from his memories still lingered inside him. It was something that he had not experienced in a long time, with none of the women he had been with before. Even though he had his moments of peace and people he felt really comfortable with, that sensation was completely different. And deep inside him, he longed to feel it again. He sighed, trying to focus on less sentimental things. She was very interesting as well. It had been entertaining to see the different changes in her behaviour. He wondered what she truly was like, without that mask of finesse and politeness. By the little glimpses he could get, a completely different woman. Being honest with himself, he wanted to see her again.

"What do you think, Sasuke?" his father asked staring at him, as if it was not the first time he had done it.

He turned and looked at them with an unreadable expression, carefully concealing his previous thoughts.

"My decision doesn't really matter, does it? It's her decision."


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! I apologise for the lack of update two weeks ago. I was really busy with work during those days and I couldn't take time off to edit the chapter carefully. I'm really sorry :( Unless something unexpected suddenly comes up, I think it won't happen again and the rest of updates will be on time ;)

Thank you for the comments, the favourites and the followings, I'm really happy that you're enjoying my story. I hope that you like this installment as well ^^

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NOTE: The poem is original, I wrote it for the story.

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 **Glossary:**

 _-The Iron Gate:_ one of the gates of Tokyo University campus

 _-Nozomi Shinkansen:_ the Shinkansen is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan (a.k.a the bullet train). Nozomi iis the fastest train service running on the Tokaido/Sanyo lines in Japan. The one in the story, the Tokaido line, runs between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka.

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#...# telephone call

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Day 4: Lean on me

 **CHAPTER 4: THE AFTERMATH OF PAIN**

"She collapsed?!"

Sakura felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body. The books she was carrying almost slipped from her weakened grasp and she had to lean on the nearest wall, breathing deeply, trying to concentrate on the voice of the person on the other end of the line amidst the confusion in her brain.

"W-What about my parents?"

#The Master and the Mistress have been informed and are trying to return from their trips as soon as possible.#

"Right" she paused for a moment, trying to think coherently for her next course of action. "Send me the car, please. I'll be waiting at the Iron Gate."

She hung up and turned quickly, making her way to her practising teacher's office. She had to speak with her about her absence in that afternoon's departmental conference and the possible delay of her research report.

.

With one hand in the pocket of his trousers and the other carrying a folder with documents he had wanted to discuss with his father, Sasuke was going back to his own office with an annoyed expression. He was starting to grow really weary of the comments behind his back about his personal life. Just minutes before, as he was about to knock on his father's door, he had caught part of a conversation related to the result of the omiai with Haruno Sakura.

 _His great-uncle's voice was loud enough to be heard through the door._

" _That is probably the best opportunity that boy will have to catch an heiress, are you sure he made enough effort at the meeting?"_

 _Fugaku's voice had been calm, though Sasuke had detected an edge of impatience. Probably, it was not the first time the elders bugged him with the same question._

" _I'm sure Sasuke did what he had to do; he's proven many times how capable he is and you know it. But this time, the decision is not his, so we have to wait patiently."_

" _If he had smitten her like he does with those secretaries and office ladies of the company, she would have already given a positive answer."_

He had not wanted to hear anything more.

'He made it sound like I did all that on purpose. Who does he think I am, the new 'hot young playboy President'?'

Since he could remember, women had followed and fawned over him. He had never figured out why, and little by little he had started to hate such unwanted attention. During his adolescence, he had even been quite rude to the girls who had approached him. However, eventually, though he still felt unhappy about it, he had learnt not to be bothered by all that.

He sighed tiredly.

Why nobody understood that he was satisfied as he was, working in his family enterprise and leading a quiet life? As much as he had enjoyed meeting Sakura again, since she had brought some relief to his sometimes hectic routine, he was not interested in marrying her, or anybody. at that moment. He was young and had many things to do before he decided to settle down. A family, even if it was only a wife, was a huge responsibility and he did not feel himself ready for it.

He entered his office and sat down at his desk, leaving the folder on the side. He leant back in his chair, closing his eyes for a minute and enjoying that moment of peace. There were no calls, no people going in and out of his office and no appointments, just silence.

When he thought he had regained his calm, he opened his eyes and picked up his mouse to check his mail and the data for the meeting he had that evening. It was then that a small piece of paper attached to the screen of his computer grabbed his attention.

Before going to the secretary department, Ino had left him a message from her mother. She had called fifteen minutes before to ask him to call Sakura.

He frowned deeply. Lately, his life seemed to revolve around that girl and her damned answer.

However, as he kept on reading, he realised it was not what he thought. She had tried to reach her mother to excuse herself from a party she had been invited to but to no avail, no matter how many times she had called her office or her mobile phone number. And the gathering was the following day.

He threaded his fingers through his hair, disheveling it a bit. The problem was that he did not have Sakura's number. He pursed his lips and picked up the receiver of his phone. The things he had to do for his family...

"Shikamaru? Can you get me a phone number?" he listened to his assistant's reply. "Ino is not here at the moment, she's in a meeting with the secretary department to coordinate the next joint conference with NW Trading."

He heard him sigh exasperated and he could picture him rolling his eyes with a jaded expression before hanging up.

He would never understand that man. He was brilliant and extremely competent on his job, the best private assistant. However he showed an unbelievable lack of enthusiasm for everything he did... Fortunately, he came out of that perpetual state of idleness in times of need and as his boss, Sasuke could rely on him completely.

His mobile phone chimed and when he looked at the message, an amused smile played on his lips. Nobody could beat Shikamaru.

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"Her condition is stable now, but she's an elderly woman, so we have to wait and see how the operation goes. I'll return as soon as I have news. Now if you excuse me, Sakura-sama..."

The Chief of the ICU nodded to her and turned toward the automatic doors, which closed behind him. When she had arrived her grandmother was already in the operation theatre, and the nurse had advised her to wait there since as soon as the surgery finished, she would be moved back there through the private medical area.

She went back to her chair in the long corridor that went from there to the lift. There was a waiting room a few metres away which was much more comfortable, but she felt calmer seeing the ICU doors and the windows that overlooked the back garden of the hospital.

Her mother had just sent her a text saying that she had got a ticket for the five o'clock Nozomi Shinkansen, so she would be there early in the evening. She sighed relieved. Even if the worst outcome did not happen, she felt she could not stand the long hours of tension and uncertainty alone. Her mind was full of 'what ifs' and questions with no answer that came and went, and with each passing minute, they were setting her on edge.

 _How?_

She looked at her watch and then, stretched her feet in front of her and observed them. Half past three. Only three hours and fifty minutes until her mother arrived in Tokyo...

 _Why now?_

She unlocked the screen of her smartphone and checked the notifications. No news from her father, he was probably still in his meeting. Setting it aside, she stood up and went to the window, crossing her arms across her chest. From up there, people were so small that no matter how much she squinted her eyes, she could not make up their faces. She put her hands behind her and walked a few steps along the corridor, counting them.

 _One, two, three..._

She turned when she heard a sound near the door, but immediately, she moved her head with a dejected smile. It was not possible that they would finish the operation so soon.

Just opposite her there was a picture ad she went to admire it for a few seconds. It was a landscape depicting Mount Fuji in winter. Everything was covered in snow though the lake was not frozen. In the foreground, the branches of a tree, still sprinkled with bits of white, showed the first sign of blossoms. On the upper left hand side of the picture, there was a poem written with elegant calligraphy.

 _Oh, my love,_

 _when will you come?_

 _Wait for me under the plum tree_

 _watch for its buds_

 _that announce the spring._

 _Because when the snow melts_

 _And their flowers appear,_

 _I'll return to you._

She stepped back, admired it again briefly and then, went back to her chair.

She gripped the edges of her seat and ducked her head, staring at the floor.

 _Wait for me under the plum tree..._

She tapped her feet on the floor rhythmically along with the imaginary seconds that ticked in her brain.

 _When the snow melts..._

She grabbed her phone again and checked the time. Only ten minutes had passed.

 _I'll return to you..._

Why? Why her? Why now?

What if something happened to her? When was the last time she had told her grandmother that she loved her?

The first drops fell from her eyes leaving perfectly round stains on her brown skirt.

'Please, somebody... anybody... please, come...'

She buried her face in her hands.

Her phone vibrated at that moment and she jumped, looking at it bewildered. After a second of hesitation, she picked it up and looked at the screen, but she did not recognise the number. She breathed deeply and swallowed hard before answering.

"Hello?"

The person on the other side took a moment to reply.

#Is that Haruno Sakura?#

The voice was familiar, but she could not put her finger on who was its owner.

"Yes."

#I'm Uchiha Sasuke.#

Her throat was suddenly dry and she became restless, so she stood up and went to the window. It was the last person she had expected to call her, less when she still had not given her reply to the go-between about the omiai. She had been very busy with her assignments and had decided to think carefully about it at the weekend. She changed the weight of her body from one feet to the other, thinking of an excuse to give to him. She could not imagine about what he would want to talk but definitely, it was not the best moment for a meaningless chat.

"Oh, hello. I didn'-"

#Is something the matter? Are you fine?#

Those words rendered her speechless. She took the phone from her ear and looked at it surprised. How had he...?

#Are you there?#

"Y-Yes... Sorry..." she breathed and tried to find her voice. "I'm just busy, it's not a good moment..."

#It doesn't sound as just busy. she heard a rustle of clothes. Are you sure you're alright?#

His voice had just become a bit deeper and low, showing concern, and she suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed hard and answered, though she noticed that her words were a bit shaky.

"Don't worry... I..."

A tear run down her cheek and she touched her face, astonished. When had she started crying again?

#Where are you?#

"Look, Sasuk-"

#Where are you?# his tone this time was hard and demanding.

"At my family's hospital-"

#I'll be there soon.#

He hung up and she looked at the screen stunned.

Just when she was wishing for someone...

.

"Shikamaru!"

Sasuke banged into the office, making his assistant look up from his computer with a surprised look.

"Something important came up and I don't know when I'll come back. Tell my father and my brother I said sorry for skipping lunch. Reschedule the appointment I have for seven o'clock and reorganise my work. I don't mind not having Saturday off."

"I do" the other man grumbled.

"Oh, and another thing. I'm going to mute my phone so whatever you have to tell me, send me a text. Don't call me, no matter what, not even if the world is ending."

Sasuke closed the door and Shikamaru could hear his hurried steps till they got lost in the long corridor. He frowned and leant back on his chair, still watching the place where his boss had been a few seconds before.

"What the heck is wrong with him?"

.

If he thought about it objectively, he did not really know what had happened to him.

Sasuke used his turn signal to get out of the highway and entered an enormous residential area he was not familiar with, and started searching for anything that told him where the hospital was. As soon as he had heard her voice, he had known that something was wrong, very wrong, and that he had to do something about it.

As he turned the steering wheel following the directions of a traffic sign, he realised that probably, her friends and family were there with her, whatever thing had occurred. Maybe it was just that she had fallen down and she was being treated of a sprain at that moment. Or maybe it was true that she was busy. However, the quiver in her words and her hesitation, so different from her behaviour at their meeting, had told him otherwise. And for once, his instinct had overcome his common sense, and he had followed it.

Seeing another signal, he turned and his eyes opened surprised. The hospital was an enormous white and light blue building with at least twelve floors surrounded by a magnificent western garden with trees and flower beds. The name and the crest of the family, a white circle, were written across the main gate.

He pulled into a parking space and made his way towards the door, still looking around with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Once inside, he found himself in an enormous hall with patients and medical personnel coming and going. Suddenly feeling a bit lost, and more and more uncomfortable with each passing moment, Sasuke heard a voice in his mind telling him that he had just done a stupid thing, and he was strongly tempted to turn around and go back to his company. However, since he was already there, and having told her that he was going, he could as well see her, so he made his way to the information desk.

"Excuse me" he called a tall nurse who had just hung the phone receiver. "I've come to visit..." he interrupted himself for a moment. To say just her name was too random, and they could even give him directions for a person who had 'Sakura' as a surname.

"... Haruno-san."

The woman's expression changed into one of concern and puzzlement.

"Haruno-sama?" she looked at him up and down. "May I ask who you are, sir?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

He did not think his name would say anything to the woman, so he was a bit surprised when she opened her eyes in surprise and bowed.

"Oh, sorry I didn't recognise you, sir" she leant over the desk. "Haruno-sama is in the ICU. Take the lift at the end of the corridor on the left and it will take you directly there."

He nodded and she returned the gesture with a bow. Then, he followed her directions.

He frowned slightly as he watched the numbers change in the small screen of the elevator. He did not expect the matter to be so serious that she would be admitted to the ICU. She had sounded different on the phone, but not seriously hurt or ill. And why could she answer the call if she was there? The heiress' privilege?

The door of the lift opened to a well lit corridor with a row of windows from the floor to the ceiling. He saw her immediately at the end of the hallway. She was alone and her sitting figure, with her head leaning on her hands, seemed much smaller than in the meeting, and something moved awkwardly inside him.

His steps seemed to bring her back to reality from a very far away place, because she lifted her head slowly and it seemed that she took one or two seconds to recognise him. Her face was pale and some signs of tiredness had started to show on her features. Her green eyes had lost their spark.

"You really came..."

"You thought I was joking?" he unbuttoned his jacket and sat down next to her. "What happened?"

She gripped the edge of the chair, shrugging his shoulders and lowering her head.

"My grandmother collapsed this morning. A heart attack" she looked ahead, at the window in front of her, without really seeing anything. "The doctor says her condition is very serious being an elderly person, that the next hours are crucial..." her expression crumbled a little, but she regained her composure after swallowing hard. "They're operating her at the moment."

He sighed and looked around.

"Where's your family?"

She breathed deeply through the mouth.

"My parents were on trips. My father is in Okinawa, in a meeting, and he will take a plane as soon as it finishes and my mother was in Kyoto with a French friend from her university days. She is about to board the Shinkansen and will arrive this evening" she turned to him with a bitter smile. "The rest... are busy and will come when they have time. I don't know in yours, but in my family, my grandmother is not everybody's favourite person. Some people don't take well to be under a chairperson who takes the final decisions over every single department, and in this case, a woman no less."

Sasuke crossed his legs and combed his fingers through his black hair.

"We have some quarrels, especially some elders whose hobby is to question every single decision my father takes, but in general we get along just fine. Even though only one manages the corporation, there are a few branches and some supporting companies managed by the side branches of the family, so everyone gets a share of the cake."

"That must be nice..."

"I suppose so..."

He looked at the ceiling for a few seconds and then took his phone out of the pocket of his jacket and looked at the lock screen. No notifications so far. Good. Then, he stared at her, furrowing his brows.

"Have you eaten anything?"

A slight blush brought some colour to her cheeks.

"Half a sandwich during my lunch break. They called me at that time..."

"Where's th-" he said as he uncrossed his legs and was about to stand up.

"Oh, don't worry, Sasuke-san, please" she interrupted him moving her hands in front of her to emphasize her negative. "I'm not hungry and-"

"That doesn't matter. You must eat" he saw her open her mouth to protest and before she could say a word, he continued, frowning slightly. "You're your grandmother's support now. It's your duty to stay strong at least until your mother arrives."

She was silent for a second, his words sounding deeply inside her, and then, sighed in defeat and smiled a bit.

"There is one on the floor below this one."

.

Twenty minutes later, both of them were partaking of a meal consisting of special sandwiches made of enormous breaded pork fillets, vegetables and mayonnaise, and green tea.

"And I told you I wasn't hungry..."

"It wasn't my fault. As soon as they heard it was for you, they insisted on making them, even though they had been refusing people's orders. You must have been so pampered since childhood..."

She half closed her lids and stared at him and the small teasing smile that stretched his mouth.

"As if you haven't been spoiled in your whole life, right, Sasuke-san? Being the youngest child in a rich family must have been so hard..."

He was going to answer when the doors opened and a nurse came through them. Sakura, startled, followed her with her eyes until the woman bowed lightly to them and continued her way. She, then, lowered her eyes to her food and carefully wrapped it, setting it aside.

"Maybe later..." she smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "I'm full."

Sasuke took the last bite of his sandwich and made a ball with the paper. Then, taking their plastic cups and paper napkins, he went inside the waiting room to throw everything in the bin. When he came back, she was checking her phone. He did the same and answered a text from Ino asking about a file.

To distract her, he brought up the topic of their old kindergarten and for a while, both revived happy memories of their childhood. However, even though she was smiling, he noticed that she was becoming more anxious, as she frequently checked the time on her phone and looked at the door. Finally, the topic died and they became silent.

"They're taking their time..." she said looking up from the screen for the umpteenth time.

"They must be making sure that everything is fine."

It seemed as if she had not heard him because a few seconds later, she glanced at her phone again. He sighed a bit annoyed and leant forward, drawing her attention.

"It's going to be alright. Your grandmother is strong and she'll pull through."

"But, she seemed well this morning... When I went to university, she had just come back from the back garden carrying some irises to decorate the house, and two hours later she..."

He frowned. He knew he should stop her from reliving the pain, but maybe she needed it to regain her fortitude and calmness. A friend would let her speak and would listen to her feelings, and even though it had been long ago, and for a short time, they had been friends...

"She's been so stressed lately, there have been meetings about the new projects for the Ophthalmology Department... One of her cousins tried to convince her to let his grandson marry into the main family through me. Grandma said he was a good-for-nothing and they had a very loud argument, and then our marriage meeting... I opposed to it so much that maybe she..."

"Hey, don't think that. It's not your fault."

Some tears run down her cheeks and though she cleaned them with her wrists, more replaced them quickly.

Sasuke observed her quietly, unsure of what to do. He had always felt restless when seeing someone cry and he had never comforted anyone, he was not even confident he knew how to do it. Feeling a bit awkward, he lifted his hand and, hesitantly, put it on her back. He noticed that Sakura trembled lightly and for a moment, he panicked thinking he had done something wrong. But seeing that she did not say anything, he patted it lightly. Just then, a strangled sob found her way up her throat and escaped her open lips. The sound reverberated deeply inside him and as his features showed a sincere compassion, he cupped her neck and delicately leant her head on his chest. Her fingers flew to grasp the lapels of his jacket and rested her forehead on his chest, And for the first time in a long time, Sakura allowed herself to be weak.

.

Crying had made her feel definitely better. Sakura sighed as she leaned back on her chair and stared at the ceiling. The knot of anxiety, pain and fear that had been squeezing her heart till the point of suffocation had slowly dissolved with each tear and sob, with each brush of his fingers on her back and head.

She looked askew at him, watching his concentrated look and his fingers as he pushed the keys in his screen. A tender smile appeared on her lips. Even though she was not a person who showed her emotions freely to people she was not comfortable with, because of her upbringing, she did not feel embarrased for opening her heart to him. She had felt at ease in his arms and, as she was regaining her composure, she had realised that deep inside her there was something small and warm that had claimed a tiny part of her heart, something unfamiliar but that she did not dislike.

"Sasuke-san, is everything fine at your work?"

He lifted his head from his smartphone and turned off the screen.

"It's not the busiest time of the year, so it's fine."

"But, I suppose that you had things to do..."

"I only had an appointment this evening and it was easily changed to tomorrow. Regarding the rest, I have a very capable assistant."

"You shouldn't have-"

"What?" his flat tone did not admit reply, so she became silent. "I did" he continued. "Nobody complained and nothing out of the ordinary happened. So rest assure, the Uchiha Corporation will live to see another day."

"Why?"

His hand stopped mid air in its way to his pocket. That had been the question he had been dreading the whole afternoon because he still did not have an answer for it. He still thought that his actions had been foolish even though satisfying, and he did not understand how his emotions had won the battle against his logic so easily yet. He needed time to analyse them, something he did not have at that moment, since he was being forced to explain them because of a one-word question.

Why?

The sound of the automatic doors being opened made them turn expectantly, letting the matter drop to Sasuke's relief. The Chiefs of the Department of Cardiology and the ICU approached them and as they stood up, they bowed respectfully.

Sasuke stayed a step behind her and was surprised when he felt something tugging at the sleeve of his jacket. When he looked down, he saw that she had pinched the fabric, as if looking for his support in that decisive moment that could turn her life upside down. Her shoulders were rigid and he could see that she had clenched her teeth in the tension of her jaw, probably to make herself strong. It was difficult not to admire how she could change from a vulnerable girl to a resolute woman in a second.

The doctors spared a glance at Sasuke and then, focused their attention on Sakura.

"The operation has been successful and your grandmother is resting in a private room, Sakura-sama. As I told you before, the following hours are determining in the path of recuperation, but we've taken the first step."

Her anxiety suddenly disappeared and Sasuke saw how her posture relaxed and, though she was still fighting to remain calm, the way she expressed it was completely different from before.

The other doctor continued.

"Both departments will be working closely together to ensure that Haruno-sama has an ideal atmosphere for her convalescence. So, if you, Sakura-sama, in behalf of your father until he arrives here, have any request, please, don't hesitate to ask."

"Is she awake? If she is, I'd like to see her..."

"She's just woken up..." the physicians looked at each other. "I think, once we check the machines and how she's feeling, we could let you in."

A wide relieved smile lit her features and she turned her head to him, who returned it with a soft one.

"You can wait in the doctors' lounge" they turned. "This way, please."

Both took a step, but immediately the physicians stopped Sasuke.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't enter if you're not family, and I don't recall-"

"I understand-" he replied half turning, intending to go back to the seats.

"He's my fiancé."

Sakura's voice, clear and serene, sounded in the corridor, and Sasuke turned to her, his eyes widening and his mouth parting slightly, bewildered because of the unexpected statement she had made. His gaze found hers for a moment and he could read fear and a desperate plea for him to go along with her words.

Both doctors looked at each other, anxious, and bowed deeply to them.

"We apologise for the discourtesy..."

"We had no news of the development, Sakura-sama..."

"It doesn't matter" she smiled lightly. "There hasn't been an official announcement yet."

.

The private room was small but very comfortable, with a springy sofa near the door, a low table made of glass, a small kitchen with a fridge and a microwave and a big television on the wall. As soon as they closed the door and left the two of them alone, she sat down and let out a relieved sigh, closing her eyes. Sasuke went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. He filled two glasses and brought them to table.

"Thank you" she said with a smile, as she took one and drank.

He sat down beside her and had a sip from his too. Silence fell between them, each with their own confusing thoughts, until Sakura decided to speak.

"About what I said before..."

Sasuke looked at her intently.

"I know what you must be thinking, but I... needed... "

However, before she could explain further, the door opened and a nurse, after bowing politely, guided them along some corridors to a door far from the common rooms.

The visit was limited to five minutes most. The old woman's eyes light with delight upon seeing Sakura and seemed pleasantly surprised to see her companion. They barely spoke to avoid tiring the old woman even more but the caresses that grandmother and granddaughter gave each other were more than enough to express how they felt.

"We have to go" the girl whispered a few moments later. "Mum will be here in the evening and dad, as soon as possible. I'll come back again tomorrow."

Chiyo looked at her with proud eyes and then, threw a brief glance over her shoulder at Sasuke, who nodded respectfully. Then, with her thumb, she circled Sakura's ring finger, looking at her again.

As a reply, Sakura kissed her forehead and smiled softly, before turning, and both youngsters disappeared behind the door.

.

He had taken her home in a ride mostly done in silence. In the middle of it, Sakura had received a text from her mother telling her that she had just arrived in Tokyo.

He stopped the car in front of the main entrance of the house, a big Japanese gate made of dark wood. He turned off the engine and both stayed inside, since they knew they still had an unresolved matter between them. Finally, Sasuke was the first to speak.

"What you said before... Was it only because you needed me in the ICU or... does it mean you accept the omiai?"

She hesitated a bit before voicing her thoughts.

"I'd... lie to you if I didn't say it was a spur of the moment..." something inside Sasuke twisted uncomfortably at her words. "Even though you lent me your strength back there, I was still afraid..." her cheeks became darker under light of the street lamps and she clasped her hands nervously. "But... I've thought about it during the journey and... maybe... we could try..."

"You're doing this for her, aren't you? So she feels at ease..."

Sakura sighed.

"I don't know, probably yes..." she lifted her head to him, a small embarrassed smile across her lips. "Sorry... I'll understand if you wan-"

He turned to her and, lifting his hand, put it on her head.

"I don't. To tell you the truth, I have my reasons too. So, if we agree on that, I don't mind." he leant forward a bit and furrowed his brows. "But I have a condition. Please, stop calling me 'Sasuke-san'. It sounds weird."

Sakura opened her eyes, perplexed at his request and after a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Alright... Sasuke-kun?"

A small smile drew across his lips, one so tender and that made her heart skip a beat.

"I'll send you a email with my phone number later, and when your grandmother is better, let's have our first date..."


	5. Chapter 5

Hello! ^^ I'm deeply sorry that this update took so much time. There have been health problems in my family (admission to hospital included) that kept me really busy, sometimes I only came home to sleep. Also, I haven't been feeling well for some time either. And all that mixed with work. Fortunately, everything is fine now.

Thank you very much for all the reviews, followers and favourites this story has been getting even without knowing when/if it was going to be continued. I'm really glad that you like it and that you don't find the slow pace of the romance annoying. Most of what I read is slice of life and it has influenced my writing greatly, so I try to make my stories somewhat believable.

And without further ado, I'll leave you with the next installment. I hope you enjoy it ^^

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 **Glossary:**

 _daimyo_ : powerful Japanese feudal lord. Probably, two of these people, whose names I mentioned here, are familiar to some of you.

.

Day 5: #Blood, Sweat and Tears

 **CHAPTER 5: OF FIGHTS AND UNEXPECTED EVENTS (PART 1)**

"You what?!"

Ino's shout was heard in the whole coffee shop and most people looked at them with curious expressions on their faces. However, the blond woman did not seem bothered by the attention unlike her companion, who put a finger on her lips with a delicate frown on her brows.

"But Sakura, how many times did you complain to me about the omiai and swore you'd never accept it?"

"Well" the other woman moved uncomfortably on her seat and then, took a sip of her tea. "Things happened..."

Her friend watched her with half-closed eyes.

"Things... happened...?" then, her expression changed into one of astonishment. "Don't tell me you and that man-"

"Ino!" it was her turn to get stared at. "I can't believe that you're thinking-"

"What" her best friend smiled mischievously, raising one of her perfect brows. "How do you know what I'm thinking, um?

Sakura blushed a deep shade of red.

"I know you."

"Well, then" Ino said putting down her cup of coffee, getting serious. "What really happened?"

Sakura sighed and lowered her eyes to her hands, one on top of the other, on the table.

"Well, the day my grandmother was admitted to hospital, he suddenly called me for something related to his mother and mine, and out of nowhere, he went to the hospital and stayed with me until I could see her. I... He was very kind and listened to me..." the tips of her fingers followed the shape of the handle of the cup. "I was really afraid, Ino... And in the spur of the moment, when I had to go in the ICU, alone, I said he was my fiancé... so he could come with me"

"Sakura..." Ino extended her hand and patted her friend's. "I'm sorry you couldn't count on me."

"You were working, so there's nothing you could have done" she smiled warmly, repeating the same words she had told her each time she had brought up the topic. "After that, we talked and... agreed that maybe it wasn't so bad to try."

She had decided not to tell her about the hopeful look in her grandmother's pupils when she saw Sasuke and her together in the ICU and how much it had weighed in her determination, or the mysterious reasons Sasuke had to accept the deal, which were still unknown to her. She knew that Ino would make a fuss and would try to persuade her to call off the omiai. But as cold it could sound, even though Ino was like a sister to her, this was a matter that only concerned herself and Sasuke. And it was just a temporary arrangement.

Ino sighed and took a sip from her drink.

"Well, and what's he like? You only told me that he was attractive and seemed intelligent when we talked on the phone after you gave in to your grandma's request and agreed to meet him"

Sakura smiled excited and then picked up her bag.

"Actually, I brought his omiai photo so you could see him" Ino's eyes gleamed, first surprised and then with a mischievous spark. "I'm sure you'll be delighted. Knowing Sai, and after what you told me about your President, he's totally your type."

She left the white folder on the table and then, she opened it with a wide smile. Ino looked at the man in the photo and immediately, her expression of mirth changed into a confused one.

"But Sakura..." she looked at her friend and pointed. "This is my boss..."

.

"I can't believe you're going to marry my President."

"I'm not going to marry him..." Sakura did not understand very well how they had ended up having an argument. "We just decided to go out together and see how it goes."

"You know I like him."

Sakura half closed her lids and looked at her friend. Even though Ino had a boyfriend, she was also slightly infatuated with her President, something she still did not understand very well, but most of the times, she had gone along with her little fantasies when they had talked about men, hearing about Sai's virtues and letting her fangirl about the mysterious man she worked for, but that day she did not feel like doing it.

"Ino, you've got a boyfriend."

"W-Well yes, but those are two different things."

"No, they're not."

The blond woman frowned, feeling anger bubble inside her.

"Yes, they are! I love Sai and I like my boss!"

"You can't have them both."

"And who said that!"

"Who said what?"

Both girls turned upon hearing a soft slightly amused voice next to them. Just standing in front of them was Ino's boyfriend looking at them with a spark of interest in his eyes.

"Sakura is going to marry my President" she said pointing at the photo on top of the table.

The young man tilted his head to the photo and stared at it for a few seconds. So that was the infamous boss that his girlfriend kept on a pedestal... He had to admit he was quite attractive and Ino's type with his dark hair, his black eyes and his reserved demeanour. However, he did not feel in the slightest bothered by him. He had known about about her little crush before they had started their relationship and even though he had felt a bit jealous at the beginning, he had realised soon that Ino's true affections were his and from that moment on, he had not minded that she had her share of fun gossiping with her workmates about his handsome boss or enjoyed looking at him because when she left her office, she returned to him and told him everything while being in his arms.

"So finally you were able to seduce a man, Ugly."

"I didn't seduce him!"

"Yes, you did. I don't know how, though" Ino glanced briefly at Sakura's chest, stood up and flicked her forehead.

"Ouch!" Sakura complained, bringing her hand to the offended spot. "That hurts!"

"That is for taking my adored boss from me" Ino took Sai's arm but before making her way to the exit, she turned. "Oh, and we're not friends anymore."

Then, both went out of the coffee shop, leaving an astounded girl behind.

.

"Don't you think you were quite dramatic back there?" Sai asked her after a few moments of silence as they made their way to the art gallery he wanted to visit before having dinner. "Ugly can take what you said seriously."

"She's insufferable" Ino muttered with a small pout gracing her rosy lips. "I told her about the President when I started working... I can't believe she forgot everything and didn't realise... She deserves to suffer a bit for not listening properly. And for stealing him from me."

"Look at the bright side" she looked at him a bit puzzled for a moment, watching his amused expression. "If Sakura marries that man, you'll be able to see him outside work, probably in informal clothes..."

A huge smile replaced her displeased expression.

"Oh, you're right!" she laughed, and a few moments later, she put her finger on her chin and pursed her lips. "Maybe in a few days I can forgive her, but for now, I'm too annoyed."

As a response, he smiled and patted her hand. And for the umpteenth time, Ino thanked the gods for having him by her side. Nobody understood her like Sai.

"You're the best man in the world."

.

She could not believe it. Lying on her bed, Sakura put her chin on her hands, which rested on her pillow as she stared at the omiai photo, opened and propped against the headboard. Sasuke was Ino's boss, the same one she had been rambling about to no end for months. After she had started working in her company, she had confessed to her that she liked her boss, a young man with a mysterious aura, strict but respectful and competent in his job. And really handsome. She had listened to her enthusiastic talks and cheered for her. And now, the man she was smitten with was the one she had the prospect to marry. On her way back to the house, she had remembered that Ino had told her the name of the corporation at the beginning, but with all that had happened in the last weeks, the omiai proposal, her opposition to it and finally the meeting, she had not related him to her friend's prince charming.

Since Sasuke had come into her life, it had been full of weird coincidences.

Her mobile phone rang on her bedside table and she extended her arm to take it. After touching it twice with her fingertips, she moved and finally grabbed it, picking the call up after almost the seventh tone.

"Hello?" she was a bit out of breath due to the effort.

#What were you doing?#

"Oh, Sasuke-kun" she pulled the pillow to her chest and rested her elbow on the matress. "The phone was just a bit far."

Since the day they had agreed to continue seeing each other, they talked every two days, and after her grandmother had been released from hospital, they were trying to see if they could take some time off their busy schedules to have their first date, but until the moment all the attempts had been unsuccessful. When he had had the opportunity to come out of the office earlier, she had been busy with reports, having to make it up for the time away she had taken to visit and take care of her grandmother. And when she had had a free afternoon the weekend before, he had been out of the city on a three-day business trip.

#I see...#

"You sound tired, are you alright?" she asked after hearing him sigh.

#Yes, it's just that it's been a hectic day dealing with a problem in one of the departments.#

"I hope you were able to solve it soon..."

#We still have to take care of some loose ends, but mostly yes.#

"Good. Then, you can have a good rest as soon as you get home."

#Not so much. In half an hour my brother and I have to attend a business dinner with an important client...#

There was a soft noise and then, she heard him give permission to someone, his voice a bit far, as if he had put the receiver away from his mouth.

#Thanks, Shikamaru.#

Another rustle followed by the sound of paper being turned reached her ear.

#Sorry. It was my assistant. He brought me some data I need for the dinner.#

"Don't worry" she turned on the bed and rested on her side. "If you're busy, I don't want to bother you."

#That's funny# the same sound was heard again. #I was the one calling you, so I don't see why you'd see yourself as a bother# there was a pause and the scratch of a pen on paper. #And how was your day? Anything interesting?#

She flexed her legs.

"Well, I had an argument with my best friend who happens to be your love-struck secretary."

#Ino is your friend?#

"Yes, we met in Primary School, and we've been almost inseparable since then" she looked at the photo of them she had on the chest of drawers a few metres away from her and pressed her lips. "But now, she's angry because even though she's got a boyfriend she cherishes dearly, she wants you all to herself."

#You say she has a boyfriend?# Sakura made a sound of assertion. #And that she loves him?#

"Yes."

#It doesn't make sense.#

"That's what I told her. But she flickered my forehead and told me that our friendship had ended."

The silence on the other side told her that Sasuke was speechless.

"Yes, I felt the same."

#Do you want me to talk with her?# he said after a pause.

"No, please..." her voiced sounded a bit panicked. "She'd have my head then, and you'd have to look for another marriage candidate."

#And that would be bad# he said matter-of factly, but Sakura could hear an amused edge in his words.

"Yes, definitely. For the four of us."

A chuckle escaped his lips. It would be fun to see Ino the next day and how she would react.

#So, any openings in your agenda?# he asked, changing the topic.

"Um, well, I had planned a shopping trip with Ino on Sunday, but I think it won't happen now, so... yes?"

Sasuke took his and checked the page.

#I'm sorry but that day I... have things to do.#

"Work-related?"

Immediately, she realised that her words could be misinterpreted as prying in his private life and bit her lower lip, wishing she could take them back.

#Not really...# Sasuke did not seem to mind her question, since his voice did not show any irritation or reluctance. #A friend of my mother is a curator in the AM Museum and he was appointed as the coordinator for a very important event. He sent us tickets and after checking the programme, I decided to go that day.#

"What is it about?"

#It's an exhibition about the Sengoku Period called 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'. They brought important pieces from other museums, such armours and blades, personal belongings and paintings and there's a series of conferences about the most important daimyo of the time.#

"Really?" her perked-up voice drew his attention.

#Does it interest you?#

"Yes" she stretched her legs again and a small relaxed smile graced her features. "I was a history lover at school and though my favourite period is the Bakumatsu, the Sengoku Period is very interesting too."

#Are you a fan of Oda Nobunaga?# his tone was a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Um, I prefer Takeda Shingen... His life is quite interesting and he was already causing trouble when Oda was still wearing nappies."

A small snicker sounded through the phone.

#Would you like to come with me?#

Sakura sat down on the bed suddenly, a bit shocked, and it took her a moment to answer.

"Can I?" her voice sounded hopeful.

#I don't think it'll be difficult to get another ticket.#

"I'm happy!"

#Really...# he said in a flat tone. #You're too easy to please...#

"Hey!"

He looked at his watch then and sighed. As much as he would have liked to continue their conversation it was time for him to get ready for his appointment.

#Listen, I have to go now, but I'll call you tomorrow and we can set the place and the time.#

With a soft sound of acknowledgement, Sakura wished him goodnight and he hung up. He looked at the screen of his smartphone and smiled lightly. He had been looking for a moment to spare in his busy schedule to look for an appropriate place to take her, but instead of a fancy restaurant or an exclusive club, who would have thought that their first date would be at a samurai exhibition? The rich heiress was truly full of surprises, and he was starting to feel really interested to see where the omiai would take them.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello! ^^ Here's the next installment, and the continuation of chapter 5. I hope that you like it too.

Sorry it took me so much time to update, things at work became difficult three months ago and it's been really stressful and absorbing, but fortunately, I'm on holiday now, so I'll be able to keep my promise of publishing a chapter every two weeks :)

As always, thank you so much for your reviews, favourites and followings, I'm really honoured that you're enjoying my story *bows*

I'll give you a very brief explanation about the Sengoku Era, the topic of the exhibition Sasuke and Sakura go to. If you know about it, you can skip the following paragraph.

The Sengoku Jidai (the Warring States Period) starts in 1467. However, there are several events which could be considered the end of it (no, I'm not going to bore you with a History lesson). Let's say that in 1615, Japan is unified and the Tokugawa clan governs it. As you can imagine by the name, this period is marked by political intrigue, uncountable alliances between clans, betrayals and constant military conflict. Japan was divided in several territories and many of these daimyos (or feudal lords) fought with each other for control over land. Probably most of you have heard of Oda Nobunaga, who desired the unification of the country under his divine rule. There are mentions of very famous lords during this chapter, some of them still very admired and loved in Japan nowadays, specially in the regions where they ruled.

 **Theo1987:** Thank you for your constructive comment, and I apologise if something is not very clear... What kind of back story do you think is needed? Maybe it's something that will appear in later chapters, or that I missed, and in that case, if it can improve the story, I'd love to know. Could you send me a PM, please?

Remember that Inner Sakura will be in _italics_ and between '...'

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Day 6: #Thank you

 **OF FIGHTS AND UNEXPECTED EVENTS II**

 _ **I'm having a date with Sasuke-kun today.**_

Ino glared through half closed eyes at the screen of her smartphone. Couldn't that girl have thought it twice before waking her up with that type of text on a Sunday morning, when people could be lazy and sleep in?

However, her expression softened a moment later and she sniffled slightly. She knew Sakura, and she knew her motives for doing it. and though she was still a little bitter, she was incapable of holding a grudge against her for long.

"Idiot..." she whispered quietly.

"Something's the matter?"

Sai's sleepy voice reached her a bit muffled from under the covers as he turned on the bed and put his arm around her waist. As her only answer, she showed him the message and he read it after opening only one eye, making an uninterested sound.

Ino pressed a few keys, making the face of an annoyed emoticon with a popping vein and round eyes furrowed, and sent it.

"A very mature reply from your part..." he said closing his lids and snuggling up to her. "So, I supponse this will last two or three more days..."

"I was going to call her today, but now..." she pouted, feigning frustration. "I'm sure she told my boss about our fight because the following day, when he arrived, he looked at me and I swear I saw an amused glint in his eyes. And she calls him 'Sasuke-ku-'"

At that moment, Sai lifted his head and pressed his lips against hers, cutting her off. His free hand cupped her hand as he deepened the kiss, teasing and exploring, so slow and intense that she almost dropped the device, lost in his passion.

"What was that about?" she asked, breathless and flustered, when he released her.

"You're being too loud so early in the morning."

"It's not that early...!" she furrowed her brows, puffing her cheeks.

"For you and me, it is."

Ino blushed even more at his words, remembering why they had gone to sleep in the wee hours that night.

He cuddled to her again, sighing in content.

"You love her too much. Make up already, I don't think I can bear being woken up by your grumbles much more time."

"Hey!" she hit him playfully on the shoulder and in response, he nuzzled her neck, half covered by a few loose strands of hair.

Then, Sai released her and took the phone from her hands, putting it on his bedside table before hugging her again and closing his eyes.

"And, it's your day off, so no more talking about your President today."

Her only reply was a happy chuckle as she turned around in his arms and returned his embrace.

.

Sakura stared back at the angry emoticon on the screen of her smartphone, and pursed her lips, annoyed. With a sigh, she put the device back into her handbag, decided to forget about Ino for the day, and looked around, searching for Sasuke.

She had arrived fifteen minutes earlier to her date because her chauffeur had told her that on Sunday there was usually more traffic around that area and they had set off earlier than planned. However, it had been raining the night before and the weather was not being good that morning either, so there were not many people or cars on the streets. She stared at the dark grey sky pensively. Fortunately, they were going to be inside the museum for a long time, so the probability of them getting wet was almost nonexistent. However, she would have liked it to be a sunny day so they could have a walk after the exhibition.

She looked around again and then, at the points of her high-heeled over-the-knee boots. After watching the forecast while she had breakfast, she had had to change some of the clothes that she had planned to wear. It had been a difficult decision, since she was not sure if she had to dress casual or elegant. She did not want to embarrass herself in front of him on their first date if she made the wrong choice. In the end, thinking about his partner style, she had gone for a mixture of the two and had settled on a pleated red skirt, a black jumper with a turtle neck and a thick woolen shawl big enough to cover even her arms when drapped over her shoulders. However, she had forgotten to bring an umbrella.

"Have you been waiting for long?"

She turned to the voice as a content smile drew across her lips and her heart skipped a beat in her chest.

"No, I've just arrived."

He had changed his usual suit for black jeans, a white shirt, a light purple woolen jacket that was zipped up to his chest and a mac jacket that reached just pass his hips. In his left hand, he carried a black umbrella. Sakura sighed inwardly. Fortunately, her intuition when choosing her outfit had been correct.

 _'I think that sigh was not only relieved, am I right?'_

She was a bit startled at the sound of her inner voice. Some days had passed since the last time she had had to hide what she was truly thinking from other people and, she realised, she had not missed it too much.

 _'Ino is really lucky to see him so many hours every day...'_

That commend had been made in a dreamy tone, and she cleared her throat, pushing vehemently her thoughts to the back of her mind to avoid any distraction, and smiled innocently at a comment that Sasuke was making about the weather. As if on cue, a drop grazed her cheek and she looked up.

"It was a good thing that we decided to meet here" he said starting to walk toward the entrance of the museum, assuring himself that Sakura followed just behind.

They had just crossed the gates when the downpour started and, looking at each other, they smiled relieved. After leaving their outer clothes in the cloakroom, they followed the signs and started their tour around the exhibition.

The place was organised by sections and they slowly walked through rooms filled with armours and information about their owners and all sort of objects, documents and paintings related to the Sengoku Era, sharing impressions and opinions. When they arrived at the weapons area, they admired the magnificent collection. Among them, there were blades that had belonged to Uesugi Kenshin, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari.

As Sakura was busy looking at some old documents depicting Takeda Shingen's swords, Sasuke, who was in front of a different array, took his time to study her. She was standing straight, her posture denoting years of discipline and sports, with her head slightly tilted forward as she observed the contents of the glass cabinet, her hands around a dark clutch bag made of kimono fabric printed and embroidered with peonies and other colourful flowers. And, he admitted to himself, she was really pretty with her red and black clothes, and her hair tied in a high ponytail, cascading down until it reached her shoulder blades.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable with that fleeting thought that had crossed his mind, he breathed and made his way to another display case, turning his back to her. However, it was not long until his mind returned to the woman a few meters behind him.

He was glad that she was having a good time. During the rest of that week, after inviting her to the exhibition, he could not help wondering a few times if she was genuinely interested in the Sengoku Era. Though her voice had sounded enthusiastic, over the years he had developed a natural mistrust after so many people getting closer to him for his looks or his position. However, watching the way her green eyes shone as she read the pages in front of her brought peace to him, like a soft spring breeze at the end of the winter. A small smile drew across his lips, feeling his shoulders relax, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off them. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed going out with someone and done something they both liked. Even though he came from a wealthy family, his tastes had never been extravagant. He took pleasure in an evening spent reading at home, in quiet places and in culture and tradition, quite the opposite of what the women he had been involved with loved. It seemed that in some aspects, Sakura was the same as him and that was very precious to him.

Without realising, he had wandered around the room and now Sakura was on his right, a few meters away from his position, and he was watching her again. She shifted slightly, tilting her head to the side, and suddenly aware that she could catch him looking in her direction, he turned and took a few steps toward the nearest arrangement, a good amount of tools and weapons belonging to Oda's ninja. A few moments later, he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye as she walked to him. She stopped in front of the glass case next to the one he was looking at, and smiled, admiring a small engraved dagger which had belonged to a retainer of Date Masamune.

"Is the Shingen fan-girl in you satisfied with what you're seeing?" he asked her, a small smirk drawing across his lips.

"Very much" she replied, her features shining with delight and, even though he still could not determine if what he felt would become deeper or it was just curiosity and admiration, he knew that he was really glad to have met her.

.

An hour later, they were sitting down in the coffee shop of the museum as the waiter served them their orders, a cup of black tea for him and another with green tea for her. They drank the first sip in a comfortable silence, watching the rain through the window by their table.

"Did you make up with Ino?" he finally spoke, leaving his cup on the saucer.

"I didn't" she took a sip of her hot tea and then, grabbed her phone from her bag. "I told her that I was going out with you today and this was her answer."

She showed him the screen and Sasuke lifted a brow upon seeing the annoyed emoticon that had served as a reply. When he looked at her, she had her lips pressed firmly, but her eyes sparkled with a playful glint.

"I don't really understand it, you're not really angry with her so, why are you behaving like this?"

"I might not be angry, but I feel upset for her childish tantrum so, until she takes the first step, I'm not going to do anything."

"But you sent her that text" he pointed at her phone.

"We had an argument but I don't want her to feel that I've hidden things from her. That's not my nature. If we make amends and later I tell her that I went out with you, or she discovers it on her own, then I'd be the one to feel bad, because I know who she admires now and it'd be like doing things behind her back."

He smiled as he stared at her, leaning his chin on his laced fingers, his elbows propped on the table.

"You're very straight-forward and loyal."

"Yes" she looked at him in the eye. "I might have tens of other faults, but not that. Lies sooner or later bring unhappiness to your loved ones and to yourself."

"And if you were forced to say one?"

She took a few seconds to answer, thinking about it carefully.

"It depends on the situation and the lie" she leaned back on the chair. "To bring happiness to a person in their final moments? Definitely, yes. To twist events for my own convenience? Never. I prefer to pay the consequences of my own actions."

"A very noble way of thinking."

"Maybe. And probably quite old-fashioned for today's society too. However, I can't help putting myself in the other person's shoes. How I would feel if I was the one who's been lied to" she wrapped her fingers around her cup and stared at him. "And you?"

Sasuke looked at his dark beverage and then, took a sip.

"Well, I'm the president of a corporation, so I'm not innocent of deceiving strategies or being merciless," his tone of voice was a bit sarcastic. "However, outside work I try to stay true to myself and the values they've taught me. That doesn't mean that I'm as honorable as you. I confess that I have a darker side and that sometimes I feel tempted to give into it, and that I can hold grudges for a long time..."

Sakura was going to reply when his smartphone rang. With a sign of apology, he took a look and frowned. Then, he pressed the button to pick the call up.

"Itachi? What's the matter?"

As he listened to his brother, Sakura could see that his face turned a bit paler and that his eyes sparkled with something akin to disbelief, and she felt a bit concerned.

"I'll be there immediately."

He hung up and looked at her, trying to remain calm.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave. Something came up in the company and I have to get there as soon as possible."

"I hope it's nothing serious" his only answer to her wish was a tight smile that only lasted a second, which told her that it was quite the opposite.

He stood up and picked up the leather wallet with the bill the waiter had left on the table before, followed by her.

"We don't know yet."

As soon as the tab was taken care of, they made their way to the entrance, walking along corridors and leaving rooms filled with cabinets and displays at a quick speed.

"I apologise for the sudden change of plans" he turned his head to his side, looking at Sakura, who was keeping up with him despite her high heels. "I wanted to invite you to have lunch at a nearby restaurant but-"

"Don't worry" she smiled, not bothered by their rush in the slightest. "Maybe next time."

He nodded lightly, his lips pressing in a thin line, going back to his worried silence.

"I'll take you home" he spoke again after a few minutes, while they were waiting for the cloakroom staff to bring their outer wear.

"Oh, no" she said shaking her head. "You'll have to take a detour. I'll call home, or I can take a taxi..."

He looked at her with a serious expression.

"I can't allow that."

And before she could protest again, he took their clothes from the clerk's hands and turned to the parking access that connected the museum with the parking lot under the square in front of it, touching her shoulder lightly to indicate her the way. An unexpected shiver run down her spine and for a few seconds, she felt incapable of looking ahead, at his agile figure that did not lose his elegance of movements despite the sudden change of speed in his pace and the stiffness of his shoulders.

The journey, done in complete silence, was faster than they had thought, since not many people had decided to go out in that sort of weather. It was still raining hard and the wind had started to blow up suddenly. Fifteen minutes later, they had arrived at her house and he stopped the car as close as he could to the wooden gate, which had a gabled roof where she could take shelter from the rain without getting wet.

"I'm sorry for not being a more pleasant company during the drive."

Though he was trying to hide his anxiousness, his expression was grim and his eyes had turned hard and inexpressive.

She unfastened her seatbelt as she made a soft sound of understanding.

"No, I'm the one who has to apologise for making you bring me home" her expression softened. "Thank you for a great morning. I had fun."

"No, thank you" he said making emphasis on the last word.

With a hand still on the steering wheel, Sasuke leaned forward slightly and looked into her eyes, and Sakura felt a blush tint her cheeks. He was not going to... right?

"Not many times I have been able to enjoy an exhibition as much as today."

He straightened his posture again and offered her a brief troubled smile. She nodded, repressing the urge of saying something else and holding him up even more, and went out of the car, closing the door. He rolled down the window of the passenger seat.

"I probably won't be able to call you in a few days if... the mess is as big as it seems."

Sakura shook her head, playing it down.

"Don't mind it. I hope everything will solve soon."

She made a gesture with her hand as Sasuke let the handbrake off. Then, she stayed by the gate watching him drive away, turning when she heard the quick approaching footsteps of a servant who carried an umbrella for her. Unconsciously, when she wrapped her body up with the shawl, feeling cold after a gust of wind, she touched the spot on her back which he had brushed with his fingers.

And though she tried to convince herself that what she was feeling was not disappointment and that it would not make any difference if he took more or less time to call, deep inside her heart she knew that she was already missing him.


End file.
